Tuesday, December 23, 2014

In case you needed it, here's more proof that New York IS agriculture.

New York's farmers set record sales in 2013.

The state's farmers brought in nearly $5.7 billion in 2013, compared to $5.5 billion in 2012.

Cash receipts for crops, livestock and other raw agricultural products were up, according to numbers calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.More than half of the receipts were for livestock, dairy and poultry items, with the rest coming from the sale of crops such as corn, fruits and vegetables.

The numbers don't include sales of products derived from New York agriculture, such as cheese, wine or cider.

Overall receipts in the U.S. were down slightly in 2013 to $401 billion from nearly $405 billion the year before.

“The
newly released USDA sales numbers for 2013 are proof of the value of
agriculture to New York state," said Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau.

"Hard work, farmer innovation, world
markets, and
a commitment from New York state have boosted overall farm sales yet
again. The new numbers reveal cash receipts for last year total $5.67 billion, up more than $200 million from the previous year.
This is money that goes right back into the rural communities
supporting local jobs," Norton said.

Established in 1971, the 17-member advisory committee meets on food safety
concerns and advises the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting
federal and state inspection program activities. It also contributes to
USDA's regulatory policy development.

The new members were announced by Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Only seven days (counting today) to get out and buy that fresh, New York-grown Christmas tree.

There are many Christmas tree farms throughout the state and buying local not only supports local farm
businesses, it also assures you have the freshest tree possible. Fresh
cut trees smell better and keep their needles longer.

“If
purchased locally, and displayed properly with plenty of water, most
real Christmas trees have excellent needle retention. Many of our
customers report few or no needles on the floor after several weeks in
their homes. While most people enjoy the aroma of our farm fresh trees,
we also grow a fragrance-free variety that is a favorite with people
with sensitive noses,” said Faye Beckwith from Beckwith Family
Christmas Tree Station in Hannibal, Oswego County.

“Real Christmas
trees are the best choice for both the environment and the economy. Real
Christmas trees are a renewable and recyclable resource," she said. "They are grown
as a crop, by local farmers who provide jobs for others. Trees are
harvested and replenished annually. As they grow, real trees absorb
harmful carbons and produce fresh oxygen. “

Buying
a fresh and local Christmas tree is also a great bonding experience for
families.

“The experience of going to the farm to
choose the perfect tree fosters family traditions and creates memories
that last a lifetime," Beckwith said. "We have several four generation families who
come annually to ride the tractor-drawn wagon to the fields - in search
of the perfect tree.”

To find a Christmas tree farmer near you, go to www.christmastreesny.org Then click on Real Trees at the top of the page and then go to Find a Tree.

The annual forum for the New York State Agricultural Society is set for Jan. 8 at the Holiday Inn in Salina, outside Syracuse.

Nearly 500 people are expected to attend. This year's forum theme is "Diversification for Success: Strategically Positioning You and Your Business for the Future."

Keynote speaker, Dr.
David Kohl, will address a number of questions concerning diversification and more, engaging forum
attendees in a dynamic and informative program. He is professor emeritus of
agriculture and applied economics at Virginia Tech and is known as
“The Road Warrior of Agriculture,”having traveled almost 9 million
miles and conducted more than 6,000 workshops for diverse agricultural
audiences throughout his career.

Following his keynote address, Kohl will moderate a discussion with several New York farmers who have
their own unique diversification stories to share.

Other conference highlights include recognition of Businesses of the Year,
Bicentennial and Century Farm Families, Agricultural Journalism Awards,
FFA Chapter of the Year, Ag Promotion Awards, Farm Safety Recognition,
and the Society’s lifetime of Distinguished Service Citation.

All
meals, breaks and reception feature
New York produced food and beverages, and allow time for networking
with exhibitors and attendees. Following the evening banquet, NYS
Agriculture Commissioner, Richard Ball, will present the State of the
State’s Agriculture Address.

All are invited to the New York State Agricultural Society’s Forum and special pre-forum events. Early registration is strongly encouraged, and discount applies for registrations received before Dec. 19.

Officers and board members were elected during the recent annual meeting of New York Farm Bureau in Rochester.Dean Norton, who has been president of Farm Bureau for the past six years, was re-elected president for a fourth two-year term. The Norton family has owned Oak Orchard Dairy in Elba, Genbesee County, for five generations.Eric Ooms, who operates a dairy farm in Chatham, Columbia County, was re-elected vice president. District Director races resulted in the re-elections of Ashur Terwilliger of Lowman, Chemung County, in District 4 and Dean Casey of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, in District 8.New board members elected were Patrick McCormick of Java Center, Wyoming County, in District 2, Jake Schieferstine of Vernon, Oneida County, in District 6 and Chris Kelder of Accord, Ulster County, in District 10.Phyllis Couture of West Valley, Cattaraugus County, was re-elected as the State Promotion and Education Committee chair and Nicole Rawleigh of Horseheads, Chemung County, was re-elected as the State Youth Farmer Committee chair.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Hey, everyone.It's National Maple Syrup Day.Celebrate with a stack of pancakes, some fluffy French toast or other maple convection for lunch or dinner. Or pour some maple syrup on ice cream for dessert or eat some maple candy.What isn't good about maple -- so let's celebrate!!!!

The winter meetings for New York Certified Organic will be Jan. 13, Feb. 10 and March 10.

During these meetings, attendees will receive information to help grain and dairy farmers throughout the state.
The free New York Certified Organic meetings begin at 10 a.m. in the Jordan Hall auditorium at the state Agricultural Experiment Station, 614 W. North St., Geneva.

The 2015 meetings will address a variety of topics including the increasing demand for NY-grown organic small grains.Klaas Marten, a New York
organic grain producer who also operates an organic grain mill in Penn
Yan, will be among those discussing soil health for organic growers and
the new Soil Renaissance Initiative that is drawing attention
nationwide.Additional topics for the meetings include why good forage quality
is not a matter of luck and the perennial issue of weed control for
organic crop growers.

The meetings also include question and answer session for brainstorming.
NYCO has received support funding from the New York Farm Viability
Institute.

"Forums such as those held by the New York Certified Organic group for
more than 20 years now directly answer the needs and opportunities
identified by the growers for critical attention," said Farm Viability Managing Director David Grusenmeyer.

Registration is not
required; participants bring a dish to pass for the potluck lunch. For
more details, contact Fay Benson at (607) 753-5213 or afb3@cornell.edu.

New York is among eight states chosen to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's pilot project supporting the purchase of locally sourced produce by school lunch programs.

Rep. Chris Gibson, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, advocated for inclusion of the farm-to-school initiative in the federal Farm Bill. He said he'll work with farmers and educators in the Hudson Valley and Catskills to establish new farm-to-school partnerships in the coming year.

The state Office of General Services will administer the procurement project, which allows school districts to use a portion of their USDA Foods program funding to purchase unprocessed fruits and vegetables directly.

Other states participating are California, Connecticut, Michigan, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

New York Farm Bureau presented a number of awards at its Tuesday
night awards banquet to those members and counties that have excelled
in the Farm
Bureau mission to “serve and strengthen agriculture.”

The dinner,
sponsored by Farm Credit East, announced awards for Young Farmers,
Promotion and Education and Membership.

The
Young Farmer program handed out three awards for their annual contests.
Winners of these awards will represent New York at the American Farm
Bureau Annual
Meeting this January in San Diego, Calif.

The New York State
Discussion Meet champion was Sarah Blood from Schoharie County, the
Excellence of Agriculture award was presented to Johanna Fox-Bossard
from Madison County and the 2014 New York State Achievement
Award winner was Stuart Ziehm from Washington County.

Membership
is a crucial part of Farm Bureau and many individuals took an active
role in the campaign to increase numbers. Many individuals worked
tirelessly to
recruit new members and over 40 people were awarded for their efforts.

Lastly,
the Farm Bureau awards the “Farm Bureau Key” to counties that excel in
overall program accomplishment. Farm Bureaus in Chautauqua, Schuyler, Tompkins and Wyoming counties won the 2014 Gold Key
Award.